The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-07-22

He turned to a diabolical looking old
Chinaman who sat crouching on the
floor warming his attenuated fingers
over an earthen pot filed with live
charcoal, and addressed him in his ma
tive language. / did not understand
what they said; they smiled, grinned
and gesticulated, and I saw that it was
no use to argue with Campbell. He
deliberately took off his coat and col
lar, and undid the top button of his
shirt; then he calmly proceeded to lie
down by the side of one of the revolt
ing objects on the great wooden bed
stead, which formed the only furniture
in the sordid room.
The Chinaman produced from his
breast a rather more elaborate pipe
than those / had yet seen. 1t was
about six inches long; the bowl was
formed of a tiny saucer of silver, the
size of shilling. From small metal
box the old man proceeded to charge
it with opium; he then lighted if, drew
it into action with his own disgusting
mouth, and with a low obeisance,
handed it to Campbell, who proceeded
at once to inhale the abomination.
In a few minutes he dropped off, and
the same idiotic appearance which was
conspicuous on the faces of the other
sleepers was visible on my friends
face. lie snored heavily. Several
times I placed my hand upon his
pulse, but there was nothing to alarm
me; he simply slept the heavy sleep
which is always produced by a large
dose of the drug.
There sat till day broke watching
the man. One by one the various
sleepers awakened, shook themselves
together, and without noticing me
staggered out of the room. At eight
o'clock Campbell came to life again.
He was like half-drunken man, but
in little time he pulled himself to-
gether, and then he sent the Chinaman
for cab. The man was long while
gone, for there are not many cabs,
fancy, to be found at early morning in
that part of London.
81 can quite understand their infa-
tuation, " he said to me, with a sigh of
regret. Il have been in the seventh
heaven he continued, as he rubbed
bis eyes. lit was glorious"
Now comes the painful part of my
story. From that moment Campbell
became confirmed opium-smoker.
He used to worry me by the hour with
the description of his horrible pleasures.
Day by day Campbell got thinner, yell
lower, and more haggard-looking.
Wugsby, who had long ago christened
him the ".Heathen Chinee," declared
that his eyes turned up at the corners,
and that he was growing a pig-tail.
That was ridiculous exaggeration. of
course; but day by day Campbell did
certainly grow more like disreputable
Chinaman. He became careless about
his appearance, and, to my professional
eye, it seemed as if he had not long to
live. / demonstrated with him but to
no purpose; he confessed to me that he
was now a determined smoker of
opium.
For nearly fortnight he disappeared
from the Rice and Curry Club; then I
saw the announcement of his death in
the Times. A week afterwards, Mr..
Blenkinsopp called on me at the club.
"You are DR.. Brown" hesaid-'Dr.
Robert Brown ?''
"That is my name," replied.
II believe my late client poor John
Campbell, was friend of yours P''
"Oh, certainly; I knew him as an
acquaintance. We were both members
here"
at will prove rather a fortunate &C
quaintance for you, DR.. Brown, for he
has left you every farthing he pos
sessed."
Good gracious! why?" was all I
could say.
"It will amount to 100000, rather
more than less; it's all invested in
Chinese AS, except the cash at the
bank. But there is condition; / will
read it to you"
He pulled document from his pock-
ct and read as follows:
''But I attach a condition to the
above bequest; it is that the said Rob-
ert Brown, doctor of medicine, shall
devote four hours of his time per
diem, and sum of not less
than 9500 per annum, to the
amelioration of the condition of
poor Chinese in London, and
that he shall devote some portion of
his time to the study of the Chinese
language
81 congratulate you, DIR. Brown"
said the attorney. Il suppose you
will accept the conditions, and prove
the will at oncep"
Of course I accepted. / asked Mr..
Blenkinsopp to dinner, one of oar din
ners, and he shed tears of gratitude as
he swallowed the vegetable curry and
tamarind fish for which we are so Just
ly celebrated.
There is nothing more to tell. I
took the 100000 out of Chinese AS,
and bought consols. ] visit the East
end of London for four hours every
day, and, strange to say, Irather take
an interest in the work. / am study
ing the Chinese language. and am now
known as Brown the Philanthropist.-
London World.
SUICIDE OF SCORPIONS.